Disclaimer: Pure sap for your entertainment only.

Benny and Ray 18 Yellowknife, NWT Rated R

Dee Gilles

Ray Vecchio was thousands of miles from home and it felt like Paradise. Benny and his own Garden of Eden. For a moment, he wished they were naked; he setting was just about right.

Ray strolled with his lover hand in hand along a narrow side trail along beautiful Frame Lake. The forest floor here was so thick with layers of undisturbed leaf decay that it felt like they were walking on a foam mattress that cushioned each step. The trees were high overhead, stretching for the sunlight, leaving a dense, cool shade beneath their branches. Although noon, it appeared to be an overcast, cool evening underneath the soft boughs.

They hadn't seen another soul for an hour. Benny was all his. On impulse, Ray yanked Benny's arm, pulling him into his body. He squeezed his shoulders. Ben had been prattling on about something or other; Ray had no idea. Ray stopped Ben's mouth with a kiss.

Seeing no objection at being interrupted, he turned Benny to completely face him, and kissed him again, this time dipping his tongue inside Benny's warm mouth. Benny was utterly still, and gazed at him with heavy-lidded eyes when he drew away.

Ray felt overwhelmed for a moment and his eyes roamed upwards, catching glimpses of the blue sky beyond the trees. Sun on the lake glinted seductively.

"Let's go skinny-dipping," Ray said suddenly.

Whatever Benny thought Ray was going to say, it wasn't that. "What?" he asked.

"You heard me. Let's get naked and take a swim. Nobody's around." Ray took Benny by the hand and drew him toward the water. "Come on," he said.

Benny resisted, his feet staying firmly planted.

Ray chuckled, "Where's your balls?"

"Firmly inside my pants where I intend on keeping them, Ray."

"Don't be such a chicken." Ray pulled on the resisting, heavier body.

"We don't have any towels, Ray."

"We'll air dry, Benny."

"What if somebody sees us?"

"It will be the thrill of their lifetime."

Ray let go of Benny's hand and strode to the lakeshore. He untied the light jacket that was tied around his waist. It had been cool this morning when they started out; a September morning in the NWT was considerably cooler than an early fall day in Chicago. He then removed his shoes and socks, shirt and pants. He stood in his underpants while Benny eyed him.

"The water's going to be cold Ray," Ben warned.

In a final act of daring, Ray pulled down and stepped out of his underpants. He was half-hard, a fact that did not escape his observant Mountie. The corner of Ben's mouth lifted in a crooked smile, and he stepped forward, after a thorough scope of the country behind him. He drew his T-shirt over his head.

"Thataboy, Benny," Ray grinned.

Ben quickly joined his partner in his state of undress. Ray could not resist kissing that lush mouth for a few minutes, hands skimming down Benny's ass. His thoughts raced to last night's activities, of taking Benny on the floor in front of their new fireplace on a faux bearskin rug, like the cheesy pornos he'd sneak out of Pop's stash in the basement back when he was in high school. Ray felt like such a stud as Benny moaned and wailed with pleasure as he thrust into that body. Ray told Benny to masturbate himself, and Ray got off on watching him quickly palm himself as Ray fucked him. It was the hottest thing he'd ever seen, and neither one of them lasted long.

That was okay. They took their sweet time this morning. Ray had decided he'd sit on Benny's lap, with Benny flat on his back; the `ride em' cowboy', they'd come to call it. It just went on and on and on until neither one of them could bear it any longer. Benny had turned him around into a `backwards cowboy', and commenced to buck like bronco. They galloped into bursting orgasm shortly after.

Ray pulled back from his kiss. Both he and Benny were both rock hard, breathing slightly elevated. Their breathing sounded loud in these quiet woods. Ben suddenly laughed, picked Ray up in a fireman's carry, and after a few quick steps, threw him into the water.

Ray felt the sudden onslaught of ice. He came up flailing, gasping for air. God, he never realized how strong the man really was. Ben's head popped up next to his, hair sleeked down in a tight wet cap.

"You asshole," Ray gasped.

"You asked for it, Ray. Cold?"

"Shit, yeah."

"Come here."

Ray moved toward Benny, and was engulfed in his broad arms, and squeezed. Somehow, Benny still managed to be the furnace he was twelve months of the year, even in this glacially cold water. Ray let himself be held. This was nice. It was Paradise.

VVVVV

It had been rough for a while there. Scary. After they had been outed, Ray had had to take a self-imposed `time out' while he figured out his next move. He and Val had some good, long, late-night talks while he hid out at her place. In the end, Val had made Ray understand that his life was his to do as he pleased. Val had said to Ray that he must live the life he wished he would have lived on his dying day. And there was no doubt that that life centered around one Benton Fraser, RCMP, whether society liked it or not.

Ray thought about how Ben handled living against the grain like this. He thought of Benny, going it alone in defending Frank Zuko's innocence, when everybody around him tried to intimidate him into capitulating. He thought about Benny standing up against Taylor, fighting city hall...and winning. Ben Fraser had a quiet strength that Ray used to mistake for foolishness. He could bear up to anybody or anything when he knew he was right. It made Ray feel like a coward in the face of it.

What he had put Benny through. Poor Benny had gone nuts while Ray kept himself hidden away in shame. Ray had simply cut him off. And Ben had gone crazy.

Ray had fallen off the wagon for the first time in nine years. That day after dropping Benny off at the consulate, he had driven around for a while, and then had hidden out in a movie theatre. He didn't even remember what he had seen. He sat and cried.

He'd hit the bars after that, joining the rest of the pitiful afternoon drunks who couldn't wait until happy hour. Was piss drunk by the time he was supposed to go get Benny, and told himself, fuck it. And fuck Benny Fraser too, for doing this to him, for making him fall into this impossible love.

He got into some shit with some other asshole cop and some of his buddies, and the whole lot of them were carted off in the paddy wagon. Ray was grateful to Ange for having the discretion to call Val and get him out of there pretty quickly before word of this got back to the Lieu or the other folks at the 27th.

Everyday that week, Val had told him to call Benny, and everyday he couldn't. He just couldn't. And Ben went crazy from the pain. He knew that Ben followed him one day. Picked up his reflection in the store fronts he glanced into as he walked down the street to see Val's doctor for his nose. And Benny had called. And called and called and called the next day. Ray heard his frantic voice at the door that night, as Valerie shooed him away, told him to calm down, to wait. Ray had stayed behind locked doors, anxious that he would have to come out and get physical with Benny if Valerie couldn't handle him.

Monday night, Ray had come home to Benny, had held him while he cried in happiness and later, rage and hurt. And Ray just held him the whole time, and told him that he was sorry. Later, he forced himself into Benny. It must have hurt, but Benny didn't complain. It was the most violent coupling they had ever experienced. Benny bit and scratched him as took him nearly dry, on his back. Later, Ray fucked him over the arm of the couch, hands spasmodically clutching Benny's hair.

As they finally lay peacefully in bed together, Ray told Benny his news. That he had been assigned a new partner; an old seasoned beat cop named Micky Doyle had finally made detective after fifteen years on the force. Ray was excited. Ben was sad because it brought home the reality that he and Ray would not be working together again.

Ray also told him that Frannie had been transferred to the one-three, where she was assisting Elaine Besbriss. And God help Elaine, Ray had quipped. It was only fair that Frannie go too, if Benny had to go. It was only fair.

VVVVVV

Although it was his birthday, Ray had decided to take Benny away, to get back to his dad's cabin since it had finally been refurbished. Buck, who Ray discovered was really more like an uncle to Benny, had overseen the renovations.

Now the cabin had a half-story up top, which featured a sleeping and dressing area topped with a large skylight. A kitchenette and three-quarter bath had been added beneath the loft, much to Ray's enjoyment. One of the local Inuit craftsman had gifted Benny with a stone fireplace and mantle.

Ben had dipped into his savings to buy a pellet stove, a leather sleeper sofa, two side table and lamps, and their queen-sized mattress. Ray had insisted on buying a small radio, and he helped Benny out with bedding, bath, and kitchen items. Ray thought the place was damned near perfect.

Buck Frobisher had stayed as their guest for two days. When turning in the first night, Ray had brazenly announced he was going to bed, and added, "Coming, Benny?" to which Fraser blushed.

Whatever Buck Frobisher had to say, he wisely kept it to himself.

The second night of Buck's visit, the three of them had gone to the Wildcat Caf and stayed late into the night. Ray got to hear the most amazing stories about Bob Fraser. He came to understand how much of Benny came directly from Bob. Buck talked a little about Caroline, and he talked about the day Benny was born, of holding the tiny baby in his arms, terrified he would drop him. Buck told them that Benny came very close to being named Buck, before his dad finally came to his senses and named him after beautiful Lake Benton. Even so, young Benton was sometimes called Little Buck for the first few years of his life. He was as much with Buck as he was with his father during those early years. During Benton's teen years, Buck was more and more often in the Yukon-Alaska area than he was with Bob in the NWT. Buck wondered aloud, with some considerable sadness, if things would have turned out differently if he had been around during the final years of Bob's life. If he'd only been there, he'd have stopped that bullet...would have gladly taken it himself to save his friend.

Buck continued his reminiscing, back in the cabin. Ben was exhausted, but Ray, ever the night owl, was geared up. Ben, sleepy-eyed, excused himself to bed. Ray had self-consciously kissed Benny good-night while Buck watched with some amusement. The two men retired to the porch as to not disturb Benny. They talked well into the night before Buck finally mentioned the big elephant in the room.

"So," he said only, gazing at Ray sideways, "You and Benton."

"Yep," Ray said. "Me and Benton."

"Good man," Buck replied.

"That he is," Ray said.

And the matter was settled.

The remainder of Ray and Ben's two week holiday floated by quickly and gracefully. They saw Buck off the next morning. They spent the better part of most evenings outside, gazing up at the sky at the Northern Lights. During the day, Benny took him to the sites, like the Cultural Crossroads, Bush Pilot's Monument, and the Diavik Diamond Display.

They both tried their hands at golfing. Of course Benny took to it like a duck to water, and Ray struggled along, but after several sessions, had a drive almost as good as Benny's.

And many nights were spent in their new home. Benny enjoyed cooking small game for Ray on a little Smokey Joe they'd bought in town. Ray cooked the fish they had caught on the lake. One night, they spent the evening in the company of some fellow Americans, New Yorkers, who were also there to get away from it all. They also went to a party a couple of nights later at the cabin of their neighbors across the lake.

The final night, Ray was stricken with grief at their impending departure. He understood why Benny loved this place so much. It just got in your bones. They sat in front of the fire, Benny sitting between Ray's legs, resting his back against Ray's chest. Ray held him close and swayed gently from side to side. Ray began to doze, staring mesmerized into the fire, his nose buried in Benny's soft curls. They shortly after climbed into bed.

Ray Vecchio slept in perfection that night, and awakened to joy the next morning, the morning sun lighting the small loft bedroom in brilliance. Benny had rolled over in his lover's arms and smiled with love.

Then, Raymond Vecchio and Benton Fraser rose and prepared themselves for the long journey back to Chicago.

Finis